Patron Saint of Speeders

28 Monday May 2012

Posted by in Travel

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Driving across Kansas, the early hours of Saturday morning, I cringed when red and blue lights flashed in my rear view mirror.

I shot a look at my speedometer. I’d set it at the speed limit, but the limit had just lowered. Perhaps I hadn’t adjusted my speed in time.

“Oh great!” I said to my husband. “I’m going to get a ticket.”

I pulled over and dug through my purse for my license as my husband opened the glove box to find the insurance card.

“It’s expired,” he said. “I think the newest card is on the table at home.”

“Great! I’ll probably get a ticket for that too!”

“I’ll pray,” my husband said.

While he prayed, the officer approached the passenger side window and said, “Do you know it’s illegal in the state of Kansas to drive in the left lane unless you’re passing?”

Though I’d passed a car awhile back, I hadn’t moved back to the right lane. Really? That’s why he pulled me over? Not for speeding?

“Had no idea officer,” I said. “I’m sorry.”

He left, offering a warning and we continued on our journey, relieved and staying in the right lane and recalling a previous time we got pulled over.

That time, a few years back, I was speeding, running late as usual, trying to get us to a meeting. My husband, in the passenger seat, didn’t realize I was speeding. After the officer collected my license and insurance card (not expired that time), he headed back to his vehicle.

“He’s going to his car to write a ticket,” I said to my husband.

“I’ll pray,” said my husband, then.

I chuckled sarcastically. “Go ahead, but he’s going to write me a ticket. I’m sure of it.” I was guilty.

A few minutes later, the policeman returned with a quirky look on his face, shaking his head. “You’re not going to believe this,” he said. “I was going to write a ticket, but when I got back to my car, I discovered I had no tickets left on my pad.”

The policeman offered a warning and we left, driving away slowly, vowing not to ever speed again, and thanking God. Miracle? Maybe.

Perhaps my husband, Bishop Leo Michael, an Anglican bishop in the Holy Catholic Church, Anglican Rite, could be made the patron saint of speeders someday. Was this Memorial Day incident on the highway another miracle? Who knows?

Happy Memorial Day weekend! Thank you to all those who fought for our freedom!

And drive safe during your travels. Don’t ride in the left land in Kansas or anywhere and don’t speed…not even if you have a patron saint of speeders traveling with you.

Another Award: I’m So Honored

25 Friday May 2012

Posted by in Award

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Wow, another award! They just keep coming in….

SR at To Have Her Heart has awarded my blog with the Beautiful Blogger Award! I am happy to accept!

Now there are three things you have to do when you receive this award. First, you post the award image on your blog. Then, the fun part is that you get to pass this award on to other bloggers. But first, I need to tell you a few things you may not know about me! I’ve done this with the other awards (I’m so flattered) so I’ll try to come up with something new.

1. I was born shortly after Christmas, that’s why I’m named Holly

2. I was raised Lutheran in an anti-catholic home, but secretly admired catholics and always felt I was spiritually wired as a catholic…I love the devotions (not worship of) the saints and liturgy of the ancient church and now feel I’m “home” in the Anglican church with its rich Old English language of the 1928 Book of Common Prayer, the chants, traditional hymns, and the embracing of the catholic faith and the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. But I also have a deep respect for those of all denominations and people of all faith. We’re all destined for the same home.

3. I had a motorcycle when I was 17, crashed it on my first ride, broke my ankle and had a concussion and now I don’t much care for motorcycles.

4. I’m addicted to chocolate and most food items where sugar is the main ingredient.

5. I’m a girly girl…love purple and pink and cute shoes (and these pretty blog awards too).

6. My daughter, Betsy (also a girly girl who shares my love of pink and shoes) and I just came up with a really cool plot for my next novel…actually, it was a story I’d begun years ago, that Betsy always loved and recently reminded me of. It’s lost in some old computer but we’re excited about the plot that we recalled and brainstormed about together until we both got goosebumps…and now Betsy wants 50% of the profits because she’s sure it will be a bestseller…lol!

Now, the really fun part — giving the award to others! Here are some deserving inspiring blogs…do pay them a visit!

Diana Symon’s Blog: Christian writer, thinker, dreamer.

Donna Martin’s Blog: On the Write Track

Annie Camille’s Four Deer Oak

Ingrid Shaffenburg’s Threadbare Gypsy Soul

Shirley McClain’s Blog, Writing, Musing, and Inspiration…

Writing For the Glory of God: Melinda Viergever Inman. Rooted in Christ. Coming Home

http://www.jewelsofencouragement.com/

Have a great weekend!

Why I Love Goodreads by Author Karen Lenfestey

24 Thursday May 2012

Posted by in Best Web Sites for Writers, Guest Blogger, Social Media Information, Writing

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Not long ago, I reviewed Karen Lenfestey’s Book, “What Happiness Looks Like.” Karen’s back! Yay! And she has something to say about goodreads. There’s a pot of coffee on. I’ll pour some.  Have a seat, Karen. The post is yours.

Are you happiest when you’re sipping coffee and reading a great book? Do you feel let down when you turn the last page because you don’t know what to read next? I can relate. That’s why I love goodreads.com.

First, let me confess that I’m not quick to try new things. I don’t text, I don’t have an iPad and I don’t quite get Twitter. But I liked goodreads from the start.

In case you’re not aware, goodreads costs nothing and has over 6 million members. Once I joined, I took a quick survey where I ranked books I’d read on a scale of 1 to 5. Then I added my favorite novels to my profile. It was that simple.

Goodreads now helps me keep track of authors I’ve read and books I’d like to read when I have the chance. The best part is getting recommendations. Based on my preferred genres, goodreads generates a list of books I’d probably enjoy.

Another way to find new authors is by reading your friends’ reviews. I prefer women’s fiction, but when a friend said a Linwood Barclay novel was “Absolutely one of the best books I’ve read this year!”, I couldn’t resist. I immediately found and started reading one of Barclay’s books. Soon I was drawn in by how he takes ordinary people and throws their lives into total disarray. I devoured the novel like it was an all-you-can-eat buffet, then longed to read another. Thanks to goodreads, I discovered the thrill of suspense.

Unfortunately, not many people I see on a day-to-day basis read the same genres that I do. If you’re like me and you want to chat with like-minded individuals, goodreads has on-line discussion groups for most interests: urban fantasy, young adult, literary fiction, romance, etc. If they don’t have the topic you’re looking for, you’re welcome to start your own discussion. There are even on-line book clubs. You can also join a Q & A group with authors such as Sue Grafton and James Patterson. Want to test your literary knowledge? Click “Explore” and take a trivia quiz. While you’re exploring, you can sign up to win free autographed books.

Overall, I don’t see a downside to joining this community. So pour yourself a cup of coffee and help yourself to some good reads.

Karen Lenfestey, a Midwest Writer’s Fellowship winner, loves to read and write women’s fiction. Visit her website at http://karensnovels.weebly.com & enter to win a free copy of her latest release, “What Happiness Looks Like.”

You can check out and review Karen’s Books on Goodreads. Read my review of What Happiness Looks Like from an earlier post.

Another Award: The Versatile Blogger! Yay!

23 Wednesday May 2012

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Another blog award!  Woohoo! I’m so honored!! I received the Versatile Blogger Award (VBA) from author and blogger, Lada Ray! I’ve got to go clear a shelf for all of these awards!

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Here is the link to Lada Ray’s post: Lada Ray

According to my esteemed sponsor, Lada Ray, here is what VBA is all about:

Versatile Blogger Award (VBA)

What is it?

As far as I can tell — details are rather sketchy and only the creator knows for sure — this lofty-sounding award is basically a mutual admiration society where bloggers recognize their peers for writing quality blogs that touched them in some way. The VBAs honor the blogger rather than specific posts. It’s a chance for bloggers to pat themselves on the back like the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences does with the Oscars. Until someone starts giving out Blogscars, the VBAs will have to suffice.

What are the criteria?

If you are nominated, you’ve been awarded the Versatile Blogger Award. I nominated 15 outstanding bloggers below. Congratulations!

Thank the person who gave you this award. That’s common courtesy.

Thank you, Lada Ray! I am truly honored and touched!

Include a link to their blog. That’s also common courtesy — if you can figure out how to do it.

Next, select 15 blogs/bloggers that you’ve recently discovered or follow regularly. (I would add, pick blogs or bloggers that are excellent!)

The envelope, please…

Nominate those 15 bloggers for the Versatile Blogger Award — you might include a link to this site.

And the nominees/winners are (in no particular order):

1. Honoré Dupuis’s Of Glass & Paper http://ofglassandpaper.com/

2. Anglela Mackey’s Rethinking My Thinking http://rethinkingmythinking.info/

3. Charissa’s Joy in the Moments: http://joyinthemoments.com/

4. SR’s – To Have Her Heart is To Love Jesus http://bearingheavycrosses.wordpress.com/about-me/

5. Kristina’s My Wyoming Adventure http://www.mywyomingadventure.com/

6. Glenda Mill’s Meet Me On The Mountain: http://glendamills.com/

7. Writing About New Realities With a Glimpse of Faith: http://barbarahartzler.com/

8. Cindy Dwyer: A Reason to Write http://cynthiadwyer.com/

9. Spiritual Lives of Women: http://pattyperkowski.com/

10. Emma L. Moore’s Life’s Little Surprises: http://emmalmoore.wordpress.com/

11. I Go To Sleep Counting Test Strips Instead of Sheep: Life as a Mom of a child with type 1 diabetes: http://igotosleepcountingteststripsinsteadofsheep.wordpress.com/

12. TM Gaouette’s  http://tmgaouette.com/

13. Rachelle’s Window @ http://www.rachelleayala.com/

14. The Working Momaholic http://theworkingmomaholic.com/

15. Braveheart: Tales from the Front Line: http://beckydoughty.wordpress.com/

Congratulations, winners!

Finally, tell the person who nominated you 7 things about yourself.

I just did this for the last award, so I’ll try not to be repeitious:

1. I was born and raised in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin (a peninsula) on a dairy farm.

2. Both my husband and I are the seventh child in our family.

3. I wrote non-fiction and was a journalist before delving into fiction.

4. I love to travel and am blessed to be married to an Anglican Bishop, who is from another country (India) and who has friends all over the world. All we need is a plane ticket and off we go! Also, we travel quite a bit around the US.

5. My son is in the NFL! Go New Orleans Saints! (although if you read my blog, you already know this). I tell my kids they get their athletic ability from me. I won the fifth grade high jump contest and could always run fast.

6. As much as I love nature and quiet country places, I love the hustle and bustle and rythmn of life in the city. I love Kansas City, as it has both.

7. I’m waiting for my novel, Crooked Lines to find a home with a publisher and I have another book almost finished and my plan is to write a lot of books!

Congrats to the new VBA winners, and thanks again to my friend, Lada Ray! I’m reading her amazing book and will review it soon along with TM Gaouette’s book. Be patient, life’s been kind of busy lately!

I Won the Kreativ Blogger Award given by A.D. Duling

22 Tuesday May 2012

Posted by in Award

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How fun! Thanks to the one of my favorite bloggers: A.D. Duling, I got an award and get to post the lovely Kreative Blogger Award on my blog! Thank you A.D! Here is that lovely award:

Isn’t it cute! Now part of receiving this wonderful award is that I continue on with this kindness and nominate 7 other blogs that I feel deserving of this award.  After that I get to answer 10 questions about myself and then 10 random facts about me that you did not know! So here goes!

My 7 nominees:

Got to start with my husband’s blog, cause he’s awesome and so is his blog: Episcoblog: The Online Journal of Bishop Leo Michael http://episcoblog.holycatholicanglican.org/ He’s an Anglican Bishop and posts from knowledge of faith matters. Good stuff!

Jennifer Donohoe, Author: http://jenniferdonohoe.com/blog.html Jennifer has a YA book, an excellent book of substance, coming out soon. Up and coming, great writer and blogger! Support her by visiting her blog.

Trisha Faye: So Many Books…So Little Time -  An author who celebrates life and invites readers to do the same in her blog. http://trishafaye.wordpress.com/about/

Writing Between the Lines: Life from a Writer’s POV - http://naomibaltuck.wordpress.com/  – Along with fascinating blog posts, Naomi Baltuck also puts up a weekly photo challenge.

ELK JERKY FOR THE SOUL: It’s tough but you need it- http://elkjerkyforthesoul.wordpress.com/  – This wonderful blog by Michael and Mary Findley is chock full of good stuff, as meaty as elk jerky. (thought I never had elk jerky). I love the book reviews and insightful posts! Great blog that deserves to be awarded.

Stitching Words- Francene Stanley http://francene-wordstitcher.blogspot.com/ – I just love Francene’s writing. She’s a delightful kind soul from England. I was so blessed to meet her in person when I traveled there. Her blog expresses the deep thoughtfulness of her beautiful soul. AND she’s a superb author. Check out her book: Wind Over Troubled Waters that she wrote with Edith Parzefall.

RICK BYLINA: THE ONLY RULE: WRITERS WRITE! EVERYTHING ELSE IS A GUIDELINE.- http://rickbylina.blogspot.com/ If you haven’t checked out Rick’s blog, you must! He’s an excellent author. You’ll love his books and his blog. He will keep you laughing. Really! Don’t miss this blog for anything.

Now to answer my 10 questions:

1. What is your favorite song? I’m so eclectic with my music. I love old Hymns , rock and roll, classical, country western, anything uplifting. No heavy metal. Can’t say I have a favorite. It’s like asking if I have a favorite child.

2. What is your favorite dessert?  Ice cream! Any kind or a bowl of three different kinds.

3. What ticks you off? People who gush about how much they love you then turn around and stick it to you.

4. What do you do when you’re upset?  Complain and cry to my husband or kids, then instantly get over it.

5. Which is/was your favorite pet? Growing up on a farm and having raised three kids, there have been many and I can’t say one was the favorite. But…Betsy loved Pepper, our black cocker spaniel the best!

6. Which do you prefer, black or white? In clothes, black because it’s slimming and white washes me out.

7.What is your biggest fear?  Anything untoward happening to my family.

8. What is your attitude mostly? Happy and fun-loving.

9.What is perfection? God.

10. What is your guilty pleasure? Ice Cream and shoes.

Ten random facts about me:

1. I was born and raised on a dairy farm in Northern Wisconsin on a peninsula very close to Lake Michigan, but can’t swim.

2. I’m married to an Anglican bishop from India (Holy Catholic Church-Anglican Rite) and I have three children ages Nick-17, Betsy-20, Jake-22.

3. I am a traditionalist

4. I love to travel.

5. I have vivid detailed dreams. Sometimes I dream as soon as I close my eyes, before I am actually asleep. Sometimes my dreams come true.

6.  I believe in miracles and trust God above all things

7. I have a phone phobia. I hate talking on the phone. It makes me nervous.

8. I don’t like TV, except for The Voice, Dancing with Stars and sometimes the news.

9. I love sleep!

10. I’m the seventh child out of ten children. My husband is also the seventh child.

So thanks for dropping in and relishing in this award with me. Do check out those nomoniees PLEASE!

Guest Author and Blogger: Jennifer Donohoe – What’s in a Story

21 Monday May 2012

Posted by in Guest Blogger, Writing

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Today, being a Monday, in keeping with my MONDAY CONNECTIONS, I connect you to guest blogger and author, Jennifer Donohoe. Welcome to my wacky blog Jennifer. My children will be happy their faces aren’t plastererd on my blog today…but sheesh…can you blame a proud mom of a now NFL player and another who made local newspapers for a fantastic touchdown a few days ago. But enough bragging. Putting football aside for now, today, we get back to the topic of writing with Jennifer. Take it away, Jennifer.

WHAT’S IN A STORY: So often when we’re in a bookstore, a book cover might grab our attention. We meander over, pick it up, and glance at the back to see what the novel is about. If it grabs our attention, we may buy it. Only after beginning the novel or finishing it do we know the worth of the story told within.

My questions:

  1. Did it leave you with anything?
  2. Are you somehow different from reading the novel?
  3. Was something taught, even if it’s minute?

As a reader, I consider these questions after finishing a novel. Was it worth the time I spent to read it? Yes, it’s important to relax and not think about anything and be able to get lost in the words seeking to entertain. However, a publisher recently asked me about my work as an author. Once all the basic questions were over, their next question struck a chord.

“What does your book teach the reader?” I knew this was an important question and before I could answer it, they brought up some of the leading novels on the market now. Each of the publisher partners asked me if I read them and if I learned anything from it. For most of them, I had to admit, I learned nothing. Then the discussion turned back to my work.

Sticking with my own morals and principles and answering the question regardless of the outcome, I said, “yes, my story teaches about making choices. It shows the reader our own choices and those of others affect our lives directly or indirectly.” Their response, “That’s what we’re looking for. We are tired of young adult books and children’s books leaving our kids with ideas of magic, phantom beasts, and nothing to use in the real world.”

So I ask, what’s in a story? Is it leaving a positive impression on the reader? Authors have an important task these days. With no real heroes left and Hollywood going bust on unique and original ideas, who do our kids have to look up to?

Honestly, not much. When an author can intermingle a fantasy story with a real life situation, then children and all others who read it are taught in a very slight way how to deal with life without being told what to do. Simple, everyday issues can be written into fantasy with real-life conclusions. It is possible. Young heroes can battle beasts of greed, anger, or fear and come out wiser from the interaction.

Children and young adults are lost in a world of intoxicating substances, abuse, sex, and the mighty dollar. Shouldn’t the literature they read give them hope? Most young people use books to escape. It becomes a way for them to leave their current state and disappear for a moment in time. While there, they should be armored with well placed clues as how to handle the world they will have to return to when they close the book. At this time in history, fantasy novels have taken on a whole new meaning. Vampires, werewolves, warlocks, witches, and zombies dominate the playing field.

(Sorry Jennifer: Interruption from Holly Michael and a blatant attempt to stick her children in her blog, regardless of the earlier promise not to do so…it does relate, really) Jennifer, let’s not forget Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles which seem to be popular with my teenage son and his friends.

(Back to Jennifer, Holly ducking her head)

With this type of power in literature, the next step should be obvious. Teach them how to live in the world where they will occupy most of their time.

***

Jennifer, thanks for stopping by and offering these enlightening words of wisdom. Jennifer Donohoe has just sent her novel, The Legend of the Travelers: Willow’s Journey, to a reviewer’s desk to prepare it for publishing. Can’t wait! It’s an engaging, heartwarming YA Novel that will surely have a positive influence on readers.

Check out Jennifer’s sites:

Website: http://jenniferdonohoe.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jenniferdonohoeauthor

Twitter: @donohoejennifer

Eye On The Ball

19 Saturday May 2012

Posted by in Family, Football, Inspiration

≈ 24 Comments

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How can I not blog about this picture? Yep, that’s my son, Nick. Way to go, Kiddo! Nick was featured in this photo (by Anthony Reyes – NWAOnline) and an article in the local newspaper. What a moment for Nick! Amazing stuff happens when we have goals, work really hard, stretch ourselves, and keep our eye on the ball.

I have so much going on in my world that I feel like ten balls are being thrown at me at once and they’re just hitting me in the face. I’m like this guy:

I need to sort out the ice cubes, apples, pancakes in my life, put sense and order to a few things and keep my eye on my goal–finishing my next book.

And I’m hoping for a touchdown…to catch a contract on my first book! Hope it comes soon! I’m hoping and praying for a lot of things. God knows what they are. Focus. Work hard. Eye on the ball! I can do it! Thanks Nick! You’re awesome and you inspire me! Nick really is an exemplary child. Always has been. I’m a proud mom of Nick…and Jake and Betsy too!

TRUST ME: You’ll Love OUTLAWS!

18 Friday May 2012

Posted by in Books, Guest Blogger, Weekly Book Review

≈ 7 Comments

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Instead of my usual book review and author questions, I’m presenting author William Weldy and his fascinating post about how his novel, (soon-to-be a bestseller) OUTLAWS, came to be. OUTLAWS is released TODAY!  Yay! CONGRATULATIONS Bill!

I was a part of the IWW group that critiqued OUTLAWS. Even then, it shined as a book you’d pull off the bestseller shelf in a bookstore. I’m keeping my words short to give him more blog time. So my review is this: TRUST ME! Get this book! You will love it! OUTLAWS has it all: Solid plot, action, well-developed strong characters, romance, bad guys vs. good guys, rich descriptive settings. An extremely well written, ”clean book” that grabs you and doesn’t let you go until the last page.  I’m so impressed with Bill’s talent and with OUTLAWS.

Take it away Bill:

The really strange thing about writing is that we all try to pay attention to people and places around us to use in our character development and setting.  Seldom is a novel based entirely on setting. Many times, however, when we’re least paying attention, things stick in our heads. In my case I was traveling out west with my family one summer years ago and pulled over to the berm early one morning in southern Idaho as everyone else slept. I gazed down on a beautiful valley surrounded by mountains. An emerald green lake lay at the base of the valley.
 
For years after that I fantasized about that spot and every night I developed a habit of mentally building a log cabin in that valley as a method to fall asleep. I always drifted off before the cabin was built. Along the way I included thoughts of what it would be like to live as our forefathers did and the Amish do today. After many, many years of visiting this place in my mind I decided to write about it.
 
I soon discovered that I would need a plot and characters to develop it into a novel. So I wondered what would make a man want to live as a semi-recluse in the mountains and what could possibly happen to him that would make readers want to read his story. The worse thing I could imagine happening to a man would be to lose his family in a drug related shooting in a shopping mall in Detroit. My main character, Josh did and just gave up on civilization after that.
 
Then I had to come up with an antagonist. Having dealt with the Outlaw motorcycle gang in my previous life, I knew they would be perfect bad guys. Since I didn’t want the protagonist to have to talk to his dog through the entire novel, I came up with a romance interest in the daughter of the general store owner who is murdered by the gang. When Josh finds his friend murdered and his daughter about to be raped by the Outlaws, he has to intervene. From then on it’s a matter of survival and the remaining Outlaws try to hunt them down and kill them.
 
I wrote the novel in a couple of months then edited it a few times. Having received enough rejection letters from publishers to paper my house for earlier novels, I knew better than to ship it off. I found the Internet Writers Workshop on the web and decided to join and see what others thought of my latest work. Smartest thing I ever did. Several other authors and would-be authors on the site criticized my work with a poison pen. They helped me tighten it. They found plot holes. They corrected my punctuation. They expanded my vocabulary. They eliminated filters in my prose. They offered suggestions as to how to make it better. After going through the mill with every chapter of the novel, what was once 80,000 words was pared down to 67000 and much tighter.
 
Before self-publishing I decided to try submitting it to a few e-book publishers. To my astonishment one of the first I subbed it to, asked for the entire manuscript and shortly thereafter offered me a contract to publish. It will be released on Amazon.com, Barnes & Nobel, and Musa Publishing today. It will be released as an e-book only at this time.
 
I am certain had it not been for the helpful critters at IWW, the novel would have joined the stagnant stack of manuscripts crowding my file drawers.

OUTLAWS BLURB:

Ex-cop Josh Grant thought he left danger behind, but the Outlaws have other plans for his peaceful life.
Josh chooses to live as a recluse in the mountains of Idaho as penance for failing to protect his murdered wife and child in Detroit. His new serenity is shattered when he stumbles onto the murder of his only friend and an assault of his friend’s daughter, Jolene. By saving Jolene, Josh angers the Outlaws, a gang of vicious bikers. When they seek revenge, Josh must draw on old skills to keep he and Jolene alive.

William Weldy is a retired police lieutenant from a large Ohio city. He grew up in small town USA and still lives there with his wife, Pam and dog, Abby. Frequently pestered by a horde of grandkids who try to interfere with his writing.

Link to Amazon to purchase OUTLAWS.

Smashing the Bad Guys to Smithereens

15 Tuesday May 2012

Posted by in Inspiration

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My husband and I watched Avengers with our teenage son the other day. Truly, my favorite part of the movie was when Loki, the evil demigod dude says: “Enough! All of you are beneath me. I am a god, you dull creature and I shall not be bullied…”

Then the Incredible Hulk picks up Loki and smashes him into the floor like a rag doll and says, “Puny god.” I leapt out of my seat, whooped, and spilled Coke Zero all over the guy in front of me.

Funny that my hero in this film was the guy with extreme anger management issues who explodes in rage, becomes this monstrous green guy, and beats the crap out of the bad guys like nothing you’ve ever seen. I loved this!

Why? Because of the the universal message that we don’t have to take crap all of the time. It makes me happy.

Bad guys are everywhere, even bad guys, who in the name of religion, hurt good guys. I’ve seen it again and again. I’ve also seen Christians with true hearts for God, again and again, back down and get trampled on. I’m tired of it.

Power, strength, and wisdom are the stuff of superheroes. In the Avengers, superheroes with special powers are brought together in an attempt to save the world. The evil Loki tried to divide the good guys because he was smart enough to understand that divided, heroes are weakened.

Did our one true God, the Creator of the universe, give all the power and strength to bad guys? I don’t think so. I think we have our own supply of ammo. Why don’t we use it? I love these words from the Lord’s prayers: “For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours.” (yours = God’s)

This kingdom, the power and the glory belongs to God and to the good guys. Let us not be divided. Let’s use our gifts and talents and call upon the power, strength, and wisdom from God to really win battles.

And sometimes, whether it seems wrong or not, I believe we have to get angry and beat the crap out of the bad guys. But we must do it wisely. Even Christ got angry and pulled out the whips and chains. I’m not advocating anger and vengeance. I’m just thinking about this theme. I’m thinking that sometimes we need to unleash our anger, and with the power and strength of God with us, we need to stand for what is right and really smash the bad guys to smithereens.

Who are your bad guys? What evil threatens to destroy you and your loved ones? Maybe you need to get angry and call upon the power of God to truly fight the battle.

Z is for Zealous Covers: Am I Mom enough? Time, please...

14 Monday May 2012

Posted by in Monday's Connections

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Reblogged from The Working Momaholic:

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Like many others who’ve seen the latest cover of Time Magazine, I got a little fired up about it.

But not for the reasons you may think.

You see, the picture isn’t what bothered me. Sure, its an awkward image (I’ve never known a mom who stands her children on chairs to nurse them) and I’m sure that poor guy is really going to catch crap about this picture once he’s in high school.

Read more… 721 more words

Well written blog that says all that I would say myself! Good job! Enjoy this Monday's connection to an awesome blog!
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